Hollywood woos Holy Land

Paster perplexed by int'l attention drawn by 'King'

Helmer Uri Paster has epic expectations for his film “King of Beggars,” the first Israeli film to preem outside the Holy Land. He hope it will strengthen relations between the Israeli and American film industries.

Still, Paster is perplexed by the attention that the film, which he bills as “the Jewish ‘Braveheart,’ ” has received outside his home nation.

“I’m really quite confused, this is not my usual fan base; these are not my people,” he said referring to the scores of industryites who turned out for the pic’s Nov. 6 unspooling at the Writers Guild Theater, sponsored by the Israeli Consulate.

Pic’s star Shahar Sorek has a better grasp of the film’s widespread appeal.

“It’s about religious struggles,” he said. ” That’s certainly not unique — it’s the story of every culture in the world. Plus, the main character is fashioned after Jesus Christ. What could be more attractive to mainstream Americans?”